The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-06-24


nit that there is an unfair division of
our taxes at the present time. This in
equality is apparent TO ALL Now, sir,
knowing these facts, is it not our duty
as Legislators to place upon the statute
books some law which will make
more equal division of these burdens.
Governor Hill, in his message to the
New York Legislature on this subject
said that "every citizen has a right to
insist that taxation shall be uniform
and equal, as far as possible and,
while the people are patriotic and do
not object to meeting the just demands
of government, they may properly in
sist that unjust discrimination shall not
be permitted" The farm and the
workshops should bear their portion of
the public burden 80 should the cor
porations, the bonds, the stocks and
other moDeyed capital and personal
property of the State. The practical
operation of our present law is that the
corporations and personal property in
general pay but small portion of our
taxes, which adds TO the burdens upon
real estate, while the latter is taxed
without regard to the actual interest
of the owner In it. This presents a
proper subject for action, and the sug-
gestion that real and personal property
should be placed under an equal foot
ing, f,r all purposes of taxation, is
worthy of most serious consideration.
As an illustration of our present sys-
tenn of taxation, man bought farm
and mortgaged it for four thousand
dollars. Now he paid six per cent. for
the use of the money, and he also paid
an aggregate tax on his land for all
purposes of about twenty mills, or
eighty dollars tax on the land purchas-
ed with borrowed money. The man
who held the mortgage had agreed TO
make the loan, providing the farmer
should pay the State tax on the mort
gage. Thus. twelve dollars more tax
is added, making total of ninety-two
dollars tax on four thousand dollar
farm. He paid two hundred and forty
dollars in addition, as interest, to the
person who loaned HIM the money.
Thus he paid ont annually, in the shape
of taxes and interest on the money in
vested, three hundred and thirty-two
dollars, while the capitalist who loaned
the money received his six per cent on
the money invested, clear of all taxes
and expenses. / might give you illus.
trations of men who are worth from
twenty-five thousand to one hundred
thousand dollars, who have their money
all invested in corporations or other
personal property, and who only pay a
small occupation tax, or, perhaps, a
tax upon a horse. Why, sir, Mr..
Speaker, the farmers, the mechanics,
the laborers, who own small homes, and
all other classes who have the bulk of
their money invested in real estate and
who constitute more than four-tifths OF
this Commonwealth, are asking us to
pass some law in reference to making
a more equal division of their burdens.
1t cannot be denied that money own
ers do not pay one-fourth as much in
proportion to the amount of property
or income az the owners of real estate
which, in the present as in the past,
bears the heavy burdens of local and
municipal taxation. The property of
corporation is no more sacred than a
farm or the small home of a laborer.
Both are property and are protected
bv the laws which surround them.
Should not each bear its share of the
burdens of State and local taxation in
proportion to their value and income
shall we throw aside and refuse to listen
to the requests of three-fourths of the
taxpayers of this State? 1t is our
duty as representatives of the people,
in passing laws, to, treat all classes
alike. The corporations, the farmer,
the mechanic, the laborer, and all
other classes of citizens should be put
upon an equal footing. Shall we throw
the arms of protection around the cor
porations and the wealthy moneyed
men, who constitute only small por-
tion of the citizens, and not heed to
the wishes of all other classes ? 1t is
our duty to pass laws, not for one par
ticular class of men, but in the interest
OF the whole people. Generally the
corporations and othor personal prop
erty make a net annual return of from
five to twenty-five per cent. The farm
and other real estate in Pennsylvania,
after deducting insurance, taxes, i'm
provements, repairs and hired labor in
cident to managing the same, does not
yield a net return of more than two
and one half per cent. upon the amount
invested. In some of the richest agri-
cultural counties IN the State the net
returns from farms is not more than
two and one.half per cent.
The Auditor General In his report
on the finances of the State for the
year 1886, ia recommending revision
of the tax laws, claimed that sit will
be admitted by any one familiar with
the subject, that our tax laws are in
mixed and muddled condition, and
breed fruitful and endless litigation.
| Were it possible, all our laws relating
to State, county, township and munich
pal taxation should be revised, codifed
and put in an intelligent and intelligi-
BILE shape, 1t is in many cases difficult
to determine what law is upon a given
subject. For fifty years acts have been
amended, until too frequently no one
can tell what act is in force and what
is not. Others have been drawn in
great haste and amended when almost
on final passage, and at times the
amendments contradict the terms and
intent of the original bill. To codify
and put in proper shape these acts of
Assembly is no easy task, but the de-
mand is almost imperative.
Under these laws more than thirty
five millions of dollars are annually
collected, and they personally affect
every citizen of the Commonwealth.
In many cases they are worse than the
laws of certain Roman Emperor. His
were printed in letters SO small that
they could not be read from the street.
Ours can be read without difficulty.
There is no trouble with the type, but
they are so conflicting in terms, and so
obscure in language, that eminent
| judges differ as to their meaning, and
the average lawyer and taxpayer is lost
among their mazes. A more Just, in
telligent and consistent system, dis
| trihutinu tha bur6ans of taya alton mora